


Welcome Home

by SpiritualPuzzleshipper



Series: Post Canon Timeline [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Gen, M/M, Puzzleshipping, Returning Home, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 05:15:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13357278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpiritualPuzzleshipper/pseuds/SpiritualPuzzleshipper
Summary: A second chance for the one who gave it all. A chance with family, with friends, with love...he was finally home.





	Welcome Home

  Atemu laid flat on Yugi’s bed, his eyes closed, his breath steady. _His_ breath. He wasn’t sharing Yugi’s lungs, it was his own, and it felt so good. He smiled as the thought of all that had happened today returned to him.

He had missed being alive, he had missed his friends, he had missed the ones who called him family, he had missed...Yugi. After almost two years the Gods decided to give him a second chance, a chance at life, at happiness. A repayment, as they called it, for he did help them more then once. He saved the world plenty of times, why not give the young pharaoh a chance at life with people who loved him.

He frowned as he thought of the family he left behind. Of his father and Mahad especially. What they said to him after he found out he was returning. Made it easier on both him and them.

“ _You will be missed, my son._ ” His father said to him as he pulled out the hug.

“ _I will miss you too, father._ ”

“ _My Pharaoh,_ ” Mahad stood behind Atemu and he turned to look at him. A small smile appeared on the Magician’s face. “ _We have waited over three thousand years, a few decades more won’t hurt._ ” They all knew where he belonged, and they were content with that. Content that their Pharaoh, would be happy. 

A nod of his head and a smile full of love and apologies was all he had to do. “Thank you.” Atemu said as light formed around him and he slowly faded away.

 

 

 

  He opened his eyes and realized he was back! He was back in Japan, he was back home! He knew of everything, what year it was, how long he had been gone. He remembered where the game shop was and instantly took off, as fast his feet could take him. Upon arriving, he went to the back door and knocked, not wanting to be rude of course.

Tea was the one who answered the door, she was home from New York, for the summer. When her eyes locked on Atemu, who was smiling at her, she gasped.

“Hello Tea!” Atemu’s posture showed so much joy, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing, with his own eyes.

“Ah!” Tea screamed and slammed the door in his face. Leaving a confused Atemu staring at the door.

The rest of the group ran to Tea when they heard her scream. “What’s wrong?” Yugi asked as he saw her shaking, her hands to her face.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost!” Tristan took a step to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

Tea flinched coming out of the trance. “I...I did,” she struggled to get the words out. “see a ghost.” Swallowing the lump in her throat, she pointed to the door.

Just as she did, a soft knock came to the door once more. Yugi chuckled. “Tea, ghosts can’t knock on doors.” He went to open the door.

When the door opened for the second time, Atemu’s face lit up. The person he saw this time, was the one he wanted to see the most. “Aibou!” He choked on that word, oh how he missed saying that.

Yugi’s eyes went wide and he felt his throat clench up as he opened his mouth. The only thing he managed to do was slam the door shut.

Blinking back some tears that formed, Atemu groaned. “Not again!” This time he opened the door and walked in. “Once is fine, but twice?”

Everyone stared at him, Joey’s mouth hung open, Tea still had her hands near her face, Tristan’s faced was scrunched up in confusion, with a hint of anger, and Yugi. Well, Yugi stood there, shaking. He couldn’t move, he failed to even realize he wasn’t breathing.

Atemu cleared his throat. “If this is a bad time, I could,” He went to back out, to leave the house. He felt un-welcomed, he didn’t expect this reaction. Honestly he didn’t know what to expect, but this wasn’t what he had hoped. He turned on his heel and before he could take another step, a pair of arms wrapped around his waist.

“Don’t leave!” Yugi cried out as he held onto the former pharaoh’s body. “Please.” He fell to his knees, tears falling down his face. “Don’t.”

Tristan cleared his throat. “We have snacks and drinks, if ya want to stay.”

Smacking his lips together, his mouth dry, Joey nodded. “We’re having a game day.”

“I leave back for New York in a couple days, so we wanted to just hang out, the four of us.” Tea added.

Atemu turned back to face everyone, which was hard with Yugi still holding onto him. “If it’s a private matter, I’d hate to interrupt.”

Tea shook his head. “No, we, we want you here.” Her voice trembled as she held back the tears.

“Please.” Yugi sobbed, holding as tight as he could.

Atemu nodded as he looked at everyone, noticing the changes, the small details that happened to appear while he was away. Tea grew her hair out, Tristan had a small scar on his cheek, and Joey had a burning passion in his eyes that he had never seen before. “I’d like that, very much.” A smile formed on his face.  He felt Yugi stand up, being released from his arms. For the first time in over two years, he looked him in the eyes. Oh how Yugi’s eyes had changed, no longer full of innocence, but of strength and courage. He also now stood the same height as he was. Instead of looking down, he now looked straight at him. He was so proud of the man that stood in front of him. “If you don’t mind of course. It is your house.”

Yugi shook his head. “Not at all. You hungry?” A smile formed on his face and he remembered a detail about the spirit. No! The man, that stood before him. “Coffee?”

“I’d love a cup.”

* * *

 

  A few hours had gone by since then. There were questions, games, laughter, and fun. It felt like old times, except this time, Atemu joined them! Instead of watching from afar, he was able to be with them. He couldn’t contain the smile on his face as he stared at the ceiling above him. Caught up in his thoughts he didn’t hear the door open and close.

“Atemu?” Yugi spoke cautiously, not wanting to wake the pharaoh, if he was asleep.

Coming out of his train of thought, Atemu sat up and looked at Yugi. “Yes?” The smile never left his face.

Yugi walked over to the bed and sat down. He then watched as Atemu positioned himself to sit right next to him. “I know you probably are sick of questions, but I still have a few of my own.”

“Ask away, Aibou.”

He scratched the back of his head. “Well you said you are back because the gods were repaying you. The whole magic thing gave you a body, and that there isn’t any danger. But you never told us the reason why you are back.” He sighed and his bottom lip began to quiver. “Did I mess something up?”

Atemu’s eyes went wide. “What? No!” He put his hand on Yugi’s shoulder. “It wasn’t anything you did.”

“So you were in the afterlife? You were happy there?”

“Yes, I was there. I was happy, well sort of happy.” Atemu sighed looking down at the carpet below his feet.

Yugi tilted his head to one side. “Sort of?”

Atemu didn’t look at Yugi, he just nodded and replied. “I don’t belong there, at least, not yet.” He finally looked up and met Yugi’s eyes. “Egypt isn’t my home anymore. I am no longer the Pharaoh of Egypt nor do I believe my life is complete.”

“You were so young when you died.” Yugi added with a nod of his head.

“Yes, I was. During that time, I was ready to give up my life, to do what I needed to do. To protect my loved ones and the whole world.” Atemu paused and took a deep breath. “But I’m not ready to give up on life now. Not since...” He bit his bottom lip, he felt his heart racing. This felt so weird! His feelings, how he really felt. Could he just tell Yugi and hope for the best? It wasn’t that easy, yet there was nothing hold him back! So why was he hesitating? Why was he struggling to speak those three words?

“Since?” Yugi tried to coax it out of him, he was only curious, it wasn’t his fault, curiosity was his weakness.

Closing his eyes and steadying his breathing, Atemu told himself it was okay, that Yugi would understand. He was his best friend, his partner, his first love. “Since I fell in love with you.” He opened his eyes and stared straight into Yugi’s.

Yugi was speechless, his jaw hung open, a gasp escaped his mouth when his lips parted. Atemu felt the fear rushing through his chest, the pit of his stomach twisted the longer Yugi just sat there and stared at him. 

“Please, say something.”

“I...I don’t know, what to say.” Yugi closed his mouth and swallowed the lump in his throat. He saw the man in front of him slouch slightly, his shoulders relax, yet still showed sign of tension. Atemu’s eyes closed again, he even looked away, refusing to look at Yugi.

He tried to gather his thoughts, he knew what Atemu said, but it confused him. Atemu wasn’t suppose to be here! He was suppose to be in the afterlife with his family, his loved ones, the people who knew him; but yet, Yugi couldn’t help the smile as it formed on his face. Atemu loved him, he actually loved him, and Yugi was allowed to love him back. “It won’t be easy.” He finally spoke.

Snapping his head back and looking at Yugi once more, Atemu gave a confused look. “What?”

Yugi placed his hand on his heart. “It won’t be easy. Loving me, that is.” He gave a nervous chuckle. “I eat a lot of burgers, I don’t like flowers, dates would be expensive, cause I like to go to the arcade. I am also in college, working on making a game, which means I tend to disappear for long periods of time. Which isn’t on anyone, it’s just how I get my alone time.” He was rambling, he didn’t mean to, he just wanted to make sure this was real. That  he wasn’t dreaming. “You would need to find a job, to help pay bills and it would mean that we wouldn’t be together like we used to be. I’ve grown up, I’ve learned to be on my own, and I really am liking it.”

Atemu listened as Yugi rambled on and on, he was getting sick of it, Yugi was now talking about how his grandpa might kick him out and that he might not be allowed to sleep in Yugi’s room. But he heard those first few words, loving him, dating him, being with him. Yugi wanted it, Yugi was willing to give it a try, give him a chance! He couldn’t help but smile, he stared at Yugi’s lips for just a moment, no longer hearing the words that were coming out them. He reached for Yugi’s face with both hands. “Aibou?” He held the face tenderly.

“Yes?”

“You’re rambling.”

“S-sorry. I just want you to know it will be,”

“Shut up.” Atemu chuckled and pulled Yugi into a deep kiss. He wanted it to be tender and sweet, but he couldn’t help it, Yugi wouldn’t stop talking! He needed to stop him somehow.

Yugi closed his eyes, relaxed his shoulders, and reached for Atemu’s wrists. Holding them tightly, he moaned into the lips that were on his. He had only dreamed that this day would happen, but this wasn’t a dream, this was real. Atemu was real! Atemu was in front of him, Atemu was loving him, Atemu was kissing him, and it felt _amazing_!

Finally the need to breathe won and they pulled apart. “I’d rather do hard with you than the easy with anyone else.”

Yugi couldn’t help but smile. “I like that idea.”

“I am willing to let you be your own person, I don’t need to depend on you. Though a help with a job would be wonderful.” Chuckling, Atemu thought of all the possible jobs he could find. “I am here.” He smiled and felt the tears fall from the corners of his eyes. “I am home.”

Yugi nodded. “Yes you are.” He placed his hand on Atemu’s cheek, rubbing it with his thumb. “Welcome home.” He whispered as tears fell down his face.

“Welcome home, Atemu.”


End file.
